Makeup Talk // Jane Iredale Makeup Review

Have you ever tried packing for a trip but halfway through packing your makeup you think, "this is way too much-but what if I need it?!" Yes. Yep. Story of my life. Even going away for the weekend (to visit places such as my hometown) I feel like I over pack just about everything. Luckily, an amazing makeup company has kind of solved my [makeup] packing problem! If you have been around this blog for awhile, you'll know I have previously written about Jane Iredale (post here). Now, I am back with a review of more of Jane's products-and spoiler alert-I am in loooove!

I received the Color Sample Kit ("medium" shade), the LipDrink SPF 15 Lip Balm ("buff" shade), and two Just Kissed Lip Plumpers (shades "Sydney" and "Milan").

First, I want to talk about the LipDrink SPF15 Lip Balm. On the Jane Iredale website, it is stated that the product "smoothes and softens, soothes, and has antioxidant benefits". As a lip balm, it definitely surpasses the performance of other balms. It feels soo so soft on your lips-not only does it feel soft, but it really does moisturize your lips at the same time. I chose buff as my shade because on the site, it does look the most neutral and wearable. As a nurse, I feel like I always "need" to carry a lip balm. It is one of those things that is nice to have on hand during a 12 hour shift. The "buff" shade is wearable for work, which I love! These balms are vegan and gluten free, if you are interested in that!

Next, I want to talk about the Just Kissed Lip Plumpers!  This plumper reminds me of a lipstick balm-pretty sheer color with a bit of moisture. The plumping effect comes from ginger, mint, and special peptides. I love that the product contains mint, because once applied, it feels cooling/soothing. When it comes to actually plumping my lips, I cannot say I noticed a huge difference in fullness, but I did notice a slight amount of plumping. Overall,  I feel that the product is great for creating a hint of fullness, moisture, and a sheer wash of color. These plumpers are not vegan, although they are gluten and cruelty free.

Wearing the Just Kissed Lip Plumper in shade "Sydney". Perfect for the summer and spring months!

 Here, I'm wearing the Just Kissed Lip Plumper in shade "Milan". This shade is perfect for everyday wear//I have fallen completely in love with it!

The last product I received is the Color Sample Kit in shade "medium". This kit includes sample/travel sizes of the PurePressed Base in shade "Golden Glow" (see my past review for the PurePressed Base here!), PurePressed Blush in "Whisper", PurePressed Eyeshadow in shades "Cream", "Supernova", and "Suede", Circle\Delete 2 Concealer, PureMoist Lipstick in shade "Lily", and PureGloss Lipgloss in shade "Beach Plum". The kit also contains a Blush Brush and a Duel Ended Eye Brush.

 Just to save this post from being too long, I encourage you to check my review out from a few years ago on the PurePressed Base. I still agree with my previous post, but I love the product even more now! I am obsessed with the gorgeous glow the base gives, and the wear time of the product. Since I use a primer I like, I think it really helps with the staying power of the product. The blush gives a very pretty glow on the cheeks and wears well throughout the day. 

 The gorgeous sheen of the blush in natural lighting!

Wearing all of the products/showing the glow from the blush.

 The  three eyeshadow shades do not have any fallout, wear well, and are more pigmented that the Urban Decay Naked Shadows (in my opinion!) The kit obviously is meant to be used as a one stop shop, which is why the 3 eyeshadows look so great when paired together. Side note: Usually I fill my brows in with some sort of pencil or powder. For the purpose of this post, I sort of filled them in with the eyeshadow "Suede". One weekend while away at my boyfriends' house, I realized I did not bring any brow products. Luckily, I had this kit and used "Suede" to make do. Surprisingly the "Suede" shade is almost perfect as a brow shade, which comes in handy when I am on the go/traveling.All 3 shades are gluten free; 2/3 of the shades are vegan-"Supernova" is not vegan.

Wearing all the eyeshadow shades (light application). Here, you can also see me wearing the lipstick and gloss that comes in the kit. 

When it comes to the Concealer, you will see in the picture that it really brightens my dark under-eye area. I was pleasantly surprised when I used this product, because most cream concealers tend to crease on me, which this did not. For those interested, this product is gluten-free, but not vegan.

A before and after shot of the Circle\Delete 2 Concealer

I honestly did not use the two lip products very often from this kit, just because I was so smitten with the Lip Plumpers I received. However, the times I did use the 2 lip products in the kit, I was happy with their quality. The lipstick was moderately pigmented, while the lipgloss paired perfectly over it. I will say that I felt the gloss was slightly sticky, but not in an overwhelming way that would keep me from using it. Since it is a bit sticky, I find that the gloss tends to last a bit longer than most other glosses, which some may be very happy with. Find a shot of me wearing both products above. Both the lipgloss and lipstick are gluten-free and vegan.

 Swatches of all products from the kit (excluding the lip products). From left to right: "Suede", "Supernova" and "Cream" Eyeshadows. Circle\Delete 2 Concealer, PurePressed Blush in "Whisper" and the PurePressed Base in "Golden Glow". 

 From left to right: Just Kissed Lip Plumpers in "Milan" and "Sydney", PureMoist Lipstick in "Lily" and PureGloss Gloss in "Beach Plum". 

For anyone looking to try out a few of Jane Iredales products and shades, this kit is perfect. It is also great for those who travel, because it makes packing SO much easier. I took this with me to California when I went last month, along with a liquid foundation, mascara, and eyeliner, and I was all set. I can not say enough good things about this kit and the products I am reviewing today. I highly recommend trying out Jane Iredales products (especially if you have ever been curious!) I don't think you will be disappointed! 

A few products that are either new or I absolutly want to try next from Jane Iredale:

1. Smooth Affair for oily skin primer

2.  Liquid Minerals Foundation

3. PlayOn Lip Crayon

Have you tried Jane Iredale products before? Let me know below!

Thanks for reading!

XO, 

Kelsey

Connect with me: twitter here // instagram here// pinterest here // 

*All products in this post were provided free of charge. All opinions shared are strictly based on the month long review process I used.

Makeup Talk // Review of Cowgirl Dirt Makeup

Hey beauties! Today I am bringing you a review of Cowgirl Dirt Makeup, a natural and organic brand based out of Texas. According to their website, the brand stands for "the best of Western Tradition". If you check out their website, you'll learn a bit more about the brand and see the fun western-inspired makeup names. When it comes to reviewing the products, I always test them out for 2-3 weeks at least before giving my opinion-I hope this review can be found helpful for anyone curious about a great natural and organic brand!

 Wearing most of the products I was sent! The blush, bronzer, 3 eyeshadows, highlighting concealer, and foundation. 

From L to R: Under Eye Highlight Concealer, Eye Firming Cream, Mineral Powder Foundation in shade "Grullo 4", Wild West Blush in the shade "Rawhide", Mineral Powder Foundation in shade "Grullo 5", and the Dusty Bronzer in shade "Arena". 

Top picture: natural lighting. Bottom picture: with flash. From L to R: Under Eye Highlight Concealer, Mineral Powder Foundation in shade "Grullo 4" and then "Grullo 5", Dusty Bronzer in shade "Arena" and the Wild West Blush in shade "Rawhide" heavily swatched and then lightly swatched. 

The first product I used was the Eye Firming Cream, which is said to firm and tone the under eye area. I do not think I have had enough time nor sample to really confirm the benefits, but so far I do know that it leaves my eye area feeling soft and moisturized.

Next, I used the Under Eye Highlight Concealer. This is a peachy toned cream concealer that helps to brighten the under eye area. For a girl like me (with hereditary dark circles, products like these are a must.

As you can see, the right under eye is a ton brighter than the left after using this product. I believe I tapped on a bit of the product, let it set for about 30 seconds, and then tapped on a bit more to get more of a brightening effect. If you are someone with only minor dark circles, I think this product could be a huge help to your beauty routine! Since mine drive me so nuts, I add a bit of concealer on top of this to really get the coverage I want.

After priming my face with my usual moisturizer and primer, I applied the Mineral Powder Foundation in shade "Grullo 5" to half my face. I find that this powder foundation gives a sheer to medium coverage (buildable) and leaves a natural finish. This foundation wears amazingingly (not a word but oh well). I have worn it to work-sweating and running around-and it still holds up. The same goes for the Pressed Powder Foundation, which wears just as well, with more of a medium to semi-full coverage (buildable). Something I love about both these foundations are their ability to photograph well. Not only do they look great in person, but they also look awesome with flash photography, which is hard to come by when you have mineral makeup products.If you look at the picture below, you can see how airbrushed the makeup looks-I didn't edit my skin at all. The shade "Grullo 4" is a tad too light for the summer months for me, but it would probably be a go-to for the winter! As for my skin type, I have combination-oily skin and I was impressed with how the foundations did not cause any extra oil, and it was helpful in keeping excess oil from breaking through.

As you can see, the pressed foundation gives a bit more coverage. I think the pressed foundation is a tad bit darker than the loose foundation (even though they are the same shades), but maybe that has to do with the coverage they offer. 

Matte/Semi-Matte Eyeshadows in shades "Mud", "Arena Sand" and "Rodeo Rose".

 Swatches of the same shades with flash photography (top) and natural lighting (bottom). 

 A light application of all 3 shades.

 The last items I used/received are the Matte (and semi-matte) Eyeshadows. The colors are pretty and definitely pigmented, and were easy to blend. I didn't have any issues with fallout or the product smudging throughout the day, but I also tend to use concealer as a base on my eyelids, which acts as a primer. 

  Another shot with all the products! This is a picture with natural lighting-you can see how smooth the foundation still looks. It is almost like a "your skin but better" finish!

Well, if you made it through this super detailed post, thank you! I always try to be as detailed as possible, in the the hopes that my opinions could be helpful for someone trying to decide if they should try a product or not. I honestly have nothing bad to say about any of the products; I have spoken up before about products I was not happy with, but that is not the case here! All in all, I would 100% recommend and back up in product that I have spoke about on this post. I actually am interested in a few more of Cowgirl Dirt's products (such as the cream foundation, organic facial serum, and lipsticks) because I was so impressed with the products I already have. I could definitely see myself buying Cowgirl Dirt products and using them for a majority of my makeup needs-they are amazing! Give them a try if you are on the fence, I dont think you will regret it!

Thank you for reading!

XO, Kelsey

 

Connect with me on twitter here // connect with me on instagram here// pinterest here //

**These products were sent to me free of charge. As always, nothing has influenced my opinion other than the products performance itself.

Natural, Organic, and Cruelty-Free // Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Review

Hi all! If you have followed along with this blog for awhile now, you know that I am on a seemingly never-ending search for beauty and skincare products that are made of "better", "safer" ingredients. After researching for hours, I narrowed down a list of companies I would like to learn more about. I reached out to Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques and they kindly sent me a few samples to try out. After using the products a few weeks, I know I am ready to give an honest review!

A little about the company

According to their website, Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques uses natural and organic plant oils and extracts, soothing flower essences, plus beautiful minerals and pigments from the earth. In their products, there are no parabens, chemicals, or unnecessary fillers.

I received the creme foundation as well as a pressed eyeshadow duo. I originally received 9 foundation samples (for finding my shade), but because I found a great match for my skin, I traveled with it...and lost it. So unfortunately I can not share that shade swatch with you!

Creme Foundation

•  Shade selection: 8/10; There are 21 shades to choose from, including cool, neutral and warm options. I did find that many shades would work with my skin tone. Kind of odd, but I almost feel like the shade can adapt if it is semi-close to your natural tone. I used shade "warm no. 3" when not self tanning; I would say my natural skin tone is about light-medium with slightly golden undertones. When self tanning, shade "warm no. 4" worked well for me. 

[top picture with flash// bottom picture in natural light]

• Application: 7/10; The product itself has a mousse like texture. It almost feels whipped! I was kind of nervous that the foundation would make my oily skin even more oily because it is a creme. Totally wrong about that assumption, but we will get to that later! I put a few dots of this around my face and used a buffing brush to buff the product into my skin. It spreads pretty easily, although I imagine it may be a bit harder to buff out if you did not moisturize prior to application.

• Coverage: 9/10; holy smokes! This stuff is magic. I would say it is easily medium to full coverage. I never tried to build up extra coverage, because the coverage was already enough for me. While the coverage is amazing, it doesn't feel heavy at all, which is a major plus. The finish is pretty matte I would say, maybe semi-matte before setting the foundation.

• Wear time: 9/10; This foundation has become one that I rely on for long work days, or a night out. I have had such a hard time finding a natural foundation that would wear well and look good, so I am happy to have tried this! I would say the creme foundation wears for about 6.5 hours before needing blotting with powder, but the coverage still looks great. Around 8 hours of wear I start to see spots wear the foundation is wearing away. (I do wear a moisturizer, primer, and setting powder with this foundation as well).

• Overall product: 8.5/9; The creme foundation is definitely one of my go-to's for everyday wear, as well as special occasion wear. I love that it does work with my oily skin, not drying it out or making me more oily. I can't say where I would look for any improvements on the foundation-if anything, I just can't decide what actual shade I am, because a few shades can work for me, but that is not a bad thing! Buffing the product in is not 100% easy-but I imagine it is because the product is natural, not filled with all the "bad things". One point I want to hit on is that this does not break me out. Some natural brands have caused breakouts, but this one has not caused any sort of reaction or breakouts! I highly, highly recommend this foundation-I feel it may be hard to beat! I would however love any recommendations for other foundations you may have! 

[Wearing the creme foundation in shade "warm no. 3"]

 Pressed Eyeshadow Duo

I received the duo in the shade "Toffee/Sandalwood".  I was curious how a natural pressed eyeshadow would work out, since I had only tried loose natural shadows in the past. I honestly kind of doubted the pigmentation and wear time because it is a natural product, but I was wrong.

 [Pressed eyeshadow duo in shade "Toffee/Sandalwood"]

• Shade selection: 9/10; There are 12 different pre-made duos to choose from, or you can customize you own duo. I this the latter option would be really fun and an easy way to build a collection you know you will get use out of.
• Application: 9/10; I apply this with a standard eyeshadow brush. It applies just as any other eyeshadow would, so there is not much to say when it comes to this!
•  Pigmentation/Fall out: 8/10; I think this product is comparable to any high end eyeshadow. It is just as pigmented as my Naked Palette shadows. I don't notice fall out immediately, but I did notice that my shadow slightly smudged as the day wore on.
• Wear time: 8/10:This shadow duo wears about 6 hours before I notice any smudging or fallout under the eyes. I have been working a ton  since trying out this product, and I get reallllly hot and sweaty (running up and down stairs as a waitress, until I pass my state boards!) so I haven't had a neutral day to test the shadow when I am not sweating, so I would say the duo works pretty well!
• Overall product: 8.5/10; Love the duo colors, love how it applies, and love how wearable it is! Such a gorgeous set of colors for a neutral loving girl like me! 

 [Wearing the duo on a light makeup day-applied with a light hand!]

I hope you enjoyed this review-Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques is a brand that is really impressive and up there with high end brands. I look forward to looking into more of their products since they have already surpassed my expectations!

Also...I am looking for an all natural primer and bronzer. Any recommendations would be super appreciated! Please leave your favorites in the comments below!

Thanks for reading,
XO, Kelsey

Connect with me on twitter here // connect with me on instagram here// pinterest here //

**The Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques products were sent to me free of charge; I was not paid nor guided to say anything about these products. All opinions shared are my own.